By David Luis 
Rossdale Golf Club is an open, low-cost Melbourne course with a Whitton and Morcom pedigree. It scores 3.9 out of 5 in our Rossdale Golf Club review, and its main flaw is conflicting fee information.
The course sits on the corner of First and Sixth Avenue in Aspendale, a few streets back from Port Phillip Bay. Pines, eucalypts, coastal banksias and sandy soil give it a Sandbelt feel. The club calls itself the “most affordable golf club in Melbourne”, and this review tests that claim.
GCR Score: 3.9 / 5
Verdict: Recommended as one of Melbourne’s best-value bayside rounds, with a few honest limits on length and polish.
Best For: Budget-minded Sandbelt-curious golfers, new members, social groups
Think Twice If: You want championship conditioning, long tees or a fixed published fee schedule
Last Reviewed: 4 October 2026.
At a Glance
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Corner First and Sixth Avenue, Aspendale VIC 3195 |
| Course type | Bayside parkland among pines, eucalypts and banksias |
| Holes / par | 18 holes, listed as par 72 on golf directories; confirm against the club scorecard |
| Designer | Ivo Whitton (1920s), remodelled by Vern Morcom in 1949 |
| Green fees | Club page cites A$35 a round; a Golf Australia list gave A$50 (seven days). Check the booking portal |
| Visitor access | Open. Public golfers register online, then book 9 or 18 holes, Monday to Sunday |
| Membership | 7-day advertised at A$45 a week on the club home page; fuller schedule on request |
| Distance | Roughly 25km south-east of Melbourne CBD |
| Phone | (03) 9580 1008 |
| Official website | Rossdale Golf Club |
All prices are Australian dollars. Confirm GST, current rates and access directly before booking.
The Whitton and Morcom Backstory
Rossdale is older and better bred than its price suggests. Ivo Whitton, a five-time Australian Open champion, laid out the original course in the 1920s for the Australasian Golf Club, as Top100GolfCourses records.
When that club folded, Rossdale took over the property in 1949. Vern Morcom, the same architect behind Spring Valley down the road, then re-routed holes and added bunkers. Morcom’s fingerprints are why the short par 4s here ask real questions.
Golf Australia’s list of metro courses playable for A$50 or less singles out the 319m seventh. It doglegs right to left into the prevailing wind, with a lake biting into the fairway. That is a hole worth paying for at any price.
How the Course Plays
Expect a layout that wanders through corridors of pines, eucalypts and coastal banksias, according to the club. Water and sand add the hazards. Those natural waterways matter more than the scorecard length, so do not turn up assuming a flat suburban pitch-and-putt.
Our read: it is a strategic course for the money, not a long one. Pick your clubs off the tee and you will score. Blast driver everywhere and the wind off the bay punishes you.
Our key takeaway: Rossdale sells accuracy and value, not length. Judge it as a Morcom layout at pub-lunch prices.
Green Fees and Booking
Public golfers can play seven days a week after registering online. You create a login, pick a date, the number of players, a tee time and your green fee.
| Option | Published figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Casual round | A$35 quoted on club page; A$50 listed by Golf Australia | Figures differ by source, so treat the booking portal as final |
| 9 or 18 holes | Both offered | Times run Monday to Sunday |
| Cart hire (18 holes) | Offered to members as an add-on | Visitor cart rates not confirmed online |
| Membership comparison | 7-day A$45 a week; full memberships from A$48 a week | Club also advertises lower-cost flexible options |
The conflicting numbers are the main fault. The club’s own line asks why you would pay A$35 for a round when membership costs under A$30 a week. The home page then shows A$45 and A$48 weekly figures. They probably describe different categories, but a visitor cannot tell.
Membership
Rossdale markets itself on cheap, flexible entry. It splits memberships into traditional (for committed golfers) and flexible (occasional players, juniors, women and beginners). A Women’s Pathway Program and corporate sponsorships sit alongside them.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| 7-day member | A$45 a week (club home page), roughly A$2,340 over 52 weeks |
| Full membership | From A$48 a week |
| Promotional lines | “Less than A$30 a week” and a listing quoting “from A$20 a week”; no joining fee or waitlist advertised |
| Add-ons | Buggy and cart storage, 18-hole cart hire, locker rental |
Weekly pricing is clever marketing because it hides the annual total. Multiply it out and a 7-day member pays around A$2,340 a year, which is still well under many Melbourne clubs. Ask for the current fee schedule in writing before you commit. The section on Annual Subscription: What You Actually Pay shows how this sits against other subscriptions.
Facilities
- Modern clubhouse with views over the course
- Members Bar and a Dining Room
- Private decking area
- Performance Studio
- Pro Shop with coaching
- Junior golf programs
- 3D virtual course tour on the website
The Performance Studio is the unexpected extra for a budget club. It points to a club that wants to coach golfers, not just collect green fees.
Best Time to Visit
Autumn, March to May, is the safe pick. Bay breezes soften and the sandy ground generally copes better with rain than clay courses. Spring, September to November, brings green fairways and the long evenings the club calls “picturesque”.
Winter rounds are playable, though rain squalls can blow in off the bay. Summer arvos can be lovely, but expect a firm, fast layout and a stiff breeze.
Getting There and Nearby Alternatives
Aspendale is roughly 25km south-east of the CBD, on the Frankston rail line. Confirm parking arrangements with the club.
If you want a different flavour, our Box Hill Golf Club review covers a private inner-east option, and the Royal Melbourne Golf Club review shows what Sandbelt prestige costs. More are in our all Victorian course reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rossdale Golf Club open to the public?
Yes. The club welcomes visitors and green fee players seven days a week. Public golfers register on the online booking system, then choose a date, tee time and 9 or 18 holes.
How much does it cost to play Rossdale?
The club’s own page quotes A$35 for a round, while a Golf Australia list showed A$50. Rates vary by source and date, so check the booking portal for the live price before you travel.
Who designed Rossdale Golf Club?
Ivo Whitton laid out the original course in the 1920s for the Australasian Golf Club. Vern Morcom remodelled it in 1949, re-routing holes and adding bunkers, when the Rossdale name began.
How much is Rossdale membership?
The club home page advertises 7-day membership at A$45 a week and full membership from A$48 a week. It also promotes cheaper flexible options. Ask the club for its current written fee schedule.
Where is Rossdale Golf Club?
It is at the corner of First and Sixth Avenue, Aspendale VIC 3195, roughly 25km south-east of Melbourne CBD. The club is a few streets back from Port Phillip Bay in the bayside suburb of Aspendale, which is on the Frankston rail line.
Pros and Cons
What We Liked
- Whitton and Morcom design heritage at a bargain price
- Public tee times seven days a week
- Strategic short par 4s such as the lake-side seventh
- Cheap weekly membership with no waitlist advertised
- Bayside setting with sandy ground and natural waterways
What Could Be Better
- Fee figures differ between the club and third-party sources
- Par and length are not clearly shown on the club site
- Conditioning is value-grade, not Sandbelt-elite
- Bay winds can make the round harder than the card says
Final Verdict
Rossdale Golf Club earns 3.9 out of 5. It is a well-designed, welcoming bayside course whose price lets you play it often.
It will not rival the big-name Sandbelt tracks for turf quality, and the muddled fee information costs it a few points. For a Melbourne golfer who wants a regular, thoughtful round without a big annual outlay, it is hard to beat.
See how it stacks up against Australia’s best in our Best Golf Clubs in Australia roundup.
Author Note
I score budget courses on what the round gives you for the price, then check every figure against the club’s own pages. How we score is set out on our review methodology page.
Last reviewed: 4 October 2026. Rates and access can change; confirm directly before travelling.
